As the Anna Foundation heads into 2026, we celebrate 20 years of changing lives in South Africa’s rural farming communities. In support of this milestone, we have set a bold goal: to raise R100 (approx. $5 / £4 / €5) for every kilometre we pedal during the Absa Cape Epic 2026 – aiming for a total of R138 400 ($7 650 / £6 050 / €7 250) to support our 23 rural after-school centres in the Western Cape.
In South Africa, 81% of Grade 4 learners struggle to read for meaning, according to the most recent Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, an international literacy study conducted every 5 years. This literacy gap, often caused by overcrowded classrooms and a lack of resources, is the “steep climb” our children face every day. Our mission is to bridge this gap through our 3R’s programme: Reading (Education), Running (Sport), and Right-ing (Life Skills). We train and employ women from rural communities as facilitators to manage our after-school centres that support more than 900 children daily, providing the individual attention they need to succeed.
The Anna Foundation turns 21 in 2026, but we are not slowing down. Instead of a traditional anniversary celebration, our Founder Anna Brom, and her husband Pierre-Henri Olivier (Chief Operations Officer), are taking on the ultimate test of physical and mental fortitude: the Absa Cape Epic.
We are grateful to the Absa Cape Epic for the sponsorship of this entry, and to Giant Bicycles for helping to ensure our riders are prepared with the ultimate bikes to conquer the 692km!
The Goal: R100 per Kilometre
Over 8 days, we will cover a combined 1 384km with more than 16 000m of elevation across some of the most demanding trails in the Western Cape. We are riding to ensure our after-school centres have the facilitators and resources they need to thrive for the next two decades. We are inviting our global network of supporters to “join the peloton”.
Target: R138 400 ($7 650 / £6 050 / €7 250)
Impact: Every donation goes directly toward our mission of running after-school centres in rural communities, helping rural children to unlock opportunities that can change the trajectory of their lives.